Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a machine and a method
for application of labels to containers; more specifically,
this invention relates to a machine for applying a top label
to a container such as a circular top label. Further, this
invention relates to the application to the same container
of a side label with a secondary label on top thereto such
as a tax stamp optionally applied to the label.
More particularly, this invention relates to a
machine for a precise, repeatable application of a top,
bottom and/or side label with precisely positioned secondary
label, e.g., tax stamp for a side label, or even top or
bottom label at any designated position for the tax stamp
and associated high quality control features relating
thereto.
For containers which have large diameter to height
ratios, considerable commercial information is carried on
the top label. If the container , moreover, has a lid which
is removable and in use replaceable, the container has a lid
slightly larger in diameter than the container itself. For
containers where the contents may be repeatedly used in
small portions, it is also essential that the container be
sealed for freshness and that the state of the label
indicates that no one has tampered with the contents before
its purchase.
In some jurisdictions, containers having
controlled goods, such as smokeless tobacco, certain candies
containing alcohol or even controlled substances such as
prescription drugs must carry additional information on -the
top, bottom or side label. Often this informa-tion is in the
form of -tax stamps or additional stamps of approval of one
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sort or another. These secondary labels, which for ease of
communication are called "tax stamps", are not necessarily
used for all the goods being made by the same manufacturer.
Still further, additional information may be
placed on the containers and thus the bottom of the
container often serves for the purpose of affixing a label
as the commercial information normally has taken up the
entire top area for the container as well as the sides of
it.
In labeling these containers, it is also essential
that the information be precisely positioned and not be
easily removable from the containers so that in the
transportation and display of the goods, the labels may not
fall off or be torn off by improper placement and/or
location.
Still further, taxing authorities ~ealously guard
the placement of the tax stamps in their proper location, as
well as carefully monitor that the tax stamps are indeed
placed on each and every container. Thus the controlled
substance or medication containing containers must at all
times carry this tax or other information and at all times
must convey to the governmental authorities that the proper
information is on the label or a tribute has been paid to
th~ government. Failure of proper affixation or failure to
have the required information on the label may result in
ines or other penalties. Therefore, a machine which
applies these stamps on the container must operate with
extreme accountability and precision.
In an industrial setting, the machines which fill
the container are not necessarily coupled to a labeling
machine. Typically, for top labeling an independently
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situated and operated labeling machine sequentially applies
to a previously filled container a top label to it.
Thereafter, the top label goods are removed from the top
labeling machine and placed on trays or like means for
transporting the containers to a machine which, in turn,
then applied the side label. There is considerable
inefficiency in the stacking and restacking of the
containers after each of the operations. Loading and
reloading of these containers, either for further workup or
for placing a tax stamp thereon, are time consuming, labor
inefficient operations.
In a typical operation, because of the high degree
of assurance needed to verify the presence of tax stamps,
tax stamp application is often a labor-in-tensive or even a
manual labor operation. When applying tax stamps to the
side label, these stamps are often very imprecisely placed
and therefore create an unsightly appearance to the goods.
Prior art labeling machines, such as top label
machines which are often conveyor belt operated, have the
label application position signalled by a can or a container
activating a switch when the container advances in the
labeling zone. The signaling, however, is done typically
with microswitches, and these have considerable hysteresis.
Further, in prior art machines conveyor operation
is also imprecise as the load on the conveyor often
indicates or causes the machine to operate with different
torque characteristics. These problems cause -the container
to move at an unpredictable rate in an imprecise manner
through the label application zone. As a consequence, label
placement and can location is often not synchronous and
results in failure to apply a label precisely or even miss
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the top section of the container and apply the label
overhangingly on one or more sides. Because the labels are
typically in modern applications self-adhesive (without
independent glue application), the labels may be removed
even in the machine by stripping these from the container or
in transportation or even in further operation such as when
the side labels are placed thereon. Also the overhung
portions of the label may be torn off and may thus impair
the proper operation of the machine to where failure
results.
Another problem which has befallen the prior art
machines and which is even more serious is ~he misalignment
of the side labels when these are placed on containers.
This is especially true for containers which have a lid
fitted on top of the container or can. A lid, in order to
fit on the container, invariably has a slightly larger
diameter than the container body itself. As a result of the
differences in the diame-ter, a label which is placed on the
container by the rotational application of the label, will
misalign to where the trailing end of the label is
considerably displaced from the leading edge of the label.
Although overlapped, these labels often cause the ends
either to protrude above or below the container or the
information which must be read across the label is
misaligned and difficult to follow.
Still further, because of the difference in
container diameter and the difference in application, the
self-adhesive 'abels will have imprecise and buckling
portions or a wrinkled appearance. This appearance causes
some of the containers to be improperly sealed and the
purchaser to question the product's freshness or integrity.
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Moreover, it is dirficult to detect tamperiny with a
wrinkled side label, and therefore product appeal is
considerably diminished when the labeling appearance is
inferior.
The present invention is to a machine which has a
precise top label operation to wherein the adjustment of the
top label may be within a few thousandths of an inch as
regards its placement, and the precise adjustment is
repeatable without substantial machine drift or accumulated
machine error. Further, the present machine includes in
combination a top label feeding section which presents a
container for labeling to the machine with alternative feed
means. The machine may be coupled to various other machines
in which the containers are filled, providing independent
manufacturing centers. Thus an entire manufacturing
capability no longer need be devoted to a single product
being produced and then labeled, but various machines may be
operated, producing different products with different
labels.
The present machine further allows the top label
placement without control hysteresis found in prior art
machines such as based on on-off switches and torque drift
shown by conveyors used for labeling.
Still further, the present machine in the top
labeling operation provides another alternative in that the
bottom labeling may also be accomplished in the same
machine.
Still further, as part of the same machine but
after the completion of the top labeling, appropriate side
labeling by the same machine accomplishes precise sealing,
substantially eliminating misalignment of the side label and
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thus the side seal. It is now possible to achieve a
placement on the can of a side label of a very neat
appearance with great precision. Moreover, "-tax stamp"
placement on the side label may also be disabled if tax
stamp placement is unnecessary. This disablement may be
accomplished without impairing the automatic cycling of the
machine and the automatic top and side labeling process.
Still further, a tax stamp placement may be
precisely controlled and tax stamps cut to a size which suit
the particular label, all within precisely defined limits.
Further, in conjunction with the side labeling,
the quality control aspects allow the rejection of
improperly deposited tax stamps or labels without tax
stamps. Thus, the reliability of the tax stamp labeling is
superior to the best quality control features heretofore
achieved by any machines known to the inventors.
In addition, the presently disclosed machine and
the method for depositing the top and side labels are
through precise gearing and clutch brake control means
without the use of belts and belt-driven drives so that
switch hysteresis, including contact bounce problems, no
longer affect the quality of accumulate errors in the
machine in its operation.
As a further benefit of the presently disclosed
machine, it has an efficiency in output at least twice
compared to the output of the best prior art labelers known
to the inventors.
Still further, as mentioned before, the machine
may be coupled with varous other machines which are used for
making and/or filling containers in such a manner that no
conveying and/or independent stacking of the goods are
necessary, and considerable manufacturing flexibili-ty may be
achieved. Thus when each unit is operating independently of
any other units, manufacturing vulnerability has been
considerably decreased as compared to the prior art labeler.
Hence, the present machine allows substantial manufacturing
invulnerability with cycle times which are considerably
faster based on products originating from a coupled feed
source or independent feed source as need arises.
In broad terms, according to the invention, in a
machine for labeling containers, there is provided the
combination comprising:
a) means for feeding a container to a conveying
xone;
b) a top or bottom label supply;
c) means for detecting a container in said feed
zone, interrelated to said means for feeding said container;
d) means for conveying a container to a labeling
zone, interrelated to said means for detecting said
eontainer and further synchronously interrelated to means
for advancing a label onto a top or bottom surface of said
container from said top or bottom label supply, said means
for advancing said label including means for disabling said
means for advancing said label without disabling said means
for eonveying said eontainer;
e) means for positioning said eontainer on a side
of said eontainer relative to said surface on which said top
or bottom label is located for said container,
intereonnected to said means for conveying said container;
f) means for rotating said container on said side;
g) a side label supply;
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h) means for feeding Erom said side label supply a
side label onto said con-tainer in said means for rotating
said container on said side, said means for feeding said
side label interconnected to said means for conveying said
container;
i) means for bearing down on said side of said
container interconnected with said means for rotating said
container and means for feeding a side label onto said
container; and
j) means for ejecting said container from said
means for rotating said container on said side.
Also, according to the invention, there is
provided the combination comprising:
a) a top or bottom label supply on a carrier for
each;
b) means for simultaneous feeding in
synchronization, a container and a top or bottom label and
its carrier;
c) means for depositing a lahel on said
container in a predetermined position, said means for
simultaneous feeding and means for depositing said label
bein~ operatively interconnected;
d) conveying means for said container;
e) means for positioning said container on a side,
said conveying means and means for positioning being
operatively interconnected with said means for feeding;
f) a side label with a carrier therefor; and
g) means for applying a side label on said
container.
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The invention furthermore relates to a method for
labeling a container such as a can and the like with a top
or bottom label and a side label t comprising the steps of:
a) feeding a container into a top or bottom
labeling station;
b) advancing synchronously a chain conveyor with a
container thereon and a label carrier strip;
c) applying said top or bottom label on said
container as said chain conveyors and said label carrier
strip is being driven;
d) interrupting the driving of said label carrier
strip while said conveyor is being driven;
e) admitting to a side positioning zone a
container which has been top or bottom labeled while said
conveyor is being driven;
f) positioning on a side said container;
g) feeding a side label into said positioning
20ne;
h) rotating said container on a side; and
i) joining said rotating container with said side
label under stagewise increased pressure on said side label.
With reference to the drawings in which the
present invention is illustrated and wherein the various
aspects of the invention have been schematically set forth,
and wherein:
Figure 1 is an overall schematic representation of
the process train for the top label and side label
placement;
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the machine
illustrating the top label placement;
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Figure 3 is a side elevation illustrating the tax
stamp placemen~ and the side label application;
Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a single
motor, synchronous drive used for achieving position
drift-free label placement;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation in an
enlarged section illustrating the top label application;
Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary top view of
the top and side label placement along lines 6-6 of Figure
5;
Figure 7 is an illustration in a perspective view
of an additional means for feeding the machine, not
connected to a particular source but connected to the
labeler illustrated in Figures 5 and 6;
Figures 7a to 7c are various views of the
additional means for feeding the machine illustrated in
Figure 7;
Figure 8 is a side view along lines 8-8 of Figure
6 of the side label placement section in an enlarged
section;
Figure 9 is an enlarged, partial side elevation of
a glue applicator and tax stamp deposition means, including
a tax stamp slitter;
Figure 10 is a partial cross-section along lines
10-10 of Figure 9;
Figure 11 is an enlarged partial side elevation of
a tax stamp placement on the side label;
Figure 12 illustrates schematically the top view
of the glue placement, the tax stamp placement, and the tax
stamp slitter section previously shown in Figure 11;
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Figure 13 illustrates in an enlarged side
elevation the tax stamp hold down conveyor previously shown
in Figure 3; and
Figure 14 illustrates the automatic opera-tion of
the machine in a block diagram form, including the
independently operable tax stamp section.
Returning now to Figure 1 showing schematically
the top and side labeling process, in Figure 1, on the right
hand side a can 7 on which a top label 9 is to be placed has
a can lid identified as 7a. An indentation for receiving
the top label 9 is shown as 9a. The top label 9 is carried
on a top label carrier strip lOa, and the top label carrier
strip lOa free of labels has been shown on the top right
hand side of Figure 1. The top label supply is on a reel 10
carrying at precise locations self-adhesive labels 9. The
top label carrier strip lOa is a release agent coated paper
strip. The supply reel 10 thus contains the top labels 9
precisely positioned on the carrier strip lOa; from this
reel, the carrier strip lOa is played around an appropriate
idler pulley 11 and around a feed speed compensation wheel
12, and a ~urther idler pulley 11, through a top label
detection bracket 14. In Figure 1, a top label applicator
section has been identified as 13.
Top label stripper feed wheel 15, for stripper 17,
guides the top labels 9 into the stripper plate 17 for
stripping the labels 9 from the top label carrier strip lOa.
A label press down wheel 18 assures the proper adhesion of
the top label 9 on a can 7.
The can with the label is then ready to be sent on
to the side label application section identified as 49 in
Figure 1.
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The top label carrier strip lOa is guided from the
top label application section by carrier removal pin 19
around which the top label carrier s-trip lOa is being
removed by the carrier driven roller 20. The carrier drive
roller 20 has a complementary engagement roller 21 which
assures a positive movement for the top label carrier strip
lOa, and a carrier strip takeup reel 23 is also driven to
assure proper takeup of the top label carrier strip lOa.
Turning now to the side label application, a side
label 24 has been illustrated on the side label carrier 26.
The side label supply spool has been shown as 25 on top of
the left side of Figure 1. Thereafter -the side label supply
spool is unwound by leading the side label carrier 26 around
idler pulleys 29 and side label speed compensation wheels
27.
The carrier 26 is guided to the tax stamp
application section 30 by side label pre-feed wheel 31, the
side label feed wheel being iden-tified as 33.
The glue applicator 35 for the tax stamp placement
has the gluer supply lines 36 lead to it. These are not
shown in Figure 1, but are shown in Figure 3. The tax stamp
pickup and deposit head is shown as 37. The reciprocating
pneumatic cylinder 38 is used for the tax stamp pickup and
deposit head 37. Tax stamps 28 have been identified as
being stacked in a magazine which will be further described
herein. Item 39 identifies tax stamp slitter section and 41
a pair of tax stamp slitter knives straddling the side label
24.
A side label tax stamp takeoff wheel 43 is shown
as being used in conjunction with press down belt conveyor
45 for securing tax stamp 28 on the side label 24. The
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press down belt conveyor 45 is driven by the side label 24
and side label carrier 26 through tax stamp press down
conveyor belt pulleys 47, three of which have been shown in
Figure 1.
From there the side label carrier 26 with the side
labels 24 carrying the tax stamp thereon are guided by wheel
51 into side label applicator section 49. This section
consists of side label stripper plate 53 from which the side
labels 24 are stripped from the carrier 26, the carrier 26
being driven by the side label carrier drive wheel 59 in
combination with side label driven wheel 60.
A pair of can rotation driven rollers 55 are used
in combination with label press down roller 57 for
application of the side label 24 (with or without the tax
stamp thereon). The carrier takeup guide pulley 61 guides
carrier 26 into side label carrier takeup spool 62.
The above-described top and side label schematic
process train illustrates schematically the application
sections, i.e., the various sections in which the labels are
being applied to the container. A further description of
these sections will be by reference to the other drawings as
the details in the schematic have been purposely omitted to
make for easy understanding of the present machine and the
method for application of the labels on the containers.
Before turning to Figure 2 which illustrates in
front elevation the top label 9 application, it should be
worthwhile to review the drive train employed for the
various interrelated drive sections driven elements shown
also in tabular form in Figure la.
Thus turning now to Figure 4, the motor for
driving the entire machine is illustrated as 65; it may be a
one quarter horsepower motor rated about 3 to 5 amperes.
Motor 65 drives a pulley 65a by means of a gear belt (not
shown) driving a brake-clutch control device 66 through the
brake-clutch pulley 66b.
Directly off the ~otor is a tax stamp slitter
knife pulley 67 driving a pulley bel-t 67a for the slitter
knives 41. For ease of understanding, the chain belts have
not been shown, but their interconnections have been
mentioned.
Sprocket wheel 69a, driven by a chain (not
identified), drives a right angle drive 69. Sproc]cet wheel
68b is interconnected to a pair of can rotation wheels 55
and side label carrier drive wheel 59 as will be further
described herein.
Side label carrier 26 is driven by wheel 59, which
is achieved through the sprocket wheel 68c, again as it will
be further described herein.
Thus turning first to the right angle drive 69, it
is interconnected (by a chain) to the sprocket wheel 66a of
the brake-clutch control 66. From the right angle drive 69,
the takeoff sprocket wheels 70 are interconnected to a
sprocket drive wheel 71 for brake-clutch control device 72
for top label carrier drive roller 20 and the takeup reel 23
for top label carrier strip 10a. Accordingly, the
brake-clutch control 72, for the top label carrier drive
roller 20 and for top label carrier -takeup reel 23 are
interconnected through a chain sprocket 73 to a chain
sprocket wheel 74, and these in turn interconnect with the
driven roller 20, through a sprocket shaft 74a. On shaft
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74a is identified a pulley wheel 75 which is coupled to the
side label carrier strip takeup reel 23 through a
complementary pulley 75a. A mechanical slip clutch 76 is
placed on a common shaft 76a for -the top label carrier
takeup reel 23.
The second of a pair of the sprocket wheels coming
off right angle drive 69 is shown as 70a and is
interconnected to a sprocket drive wheel 77 for a
brake-clutch control device 78 for the chain conveyor 155 as
will be further discussed herein in connection with the top
labeler section 13 shown in Figure 5.
With reference to the side label carrier 26 drive
train, the drive sprocket 80 for driving a shaft 81 and
sprocke-t wheel 82 is interconnected to the side label
carrier drive wheel 59 for driving the side label carrier 26
through the sprocket wheels 82 and 83. In turn, side label
carrier drive wheel 59 is further interconnected with a pair
of sprocket wheels 84 for driving through drive trains 85
and 86 side label carrier takeup spool 62 with a mechanical
brake-clutch mechanism 87 therefor.
For the can rotation drive rollers 55, sprocket
wheel 68b is taken directly from the brake-clutch control
device 66 through an idler 207 through a sprocket wheel 207a
which drives one of the shafts 203 for the can rotation
driven rollers 55. A takeoff sprocket wheel 201 on the same
shaft 203 as sprocket wheel 207a, via a chain, rotates via
sprocket 201 the other can rotation drive roller 55.
The above explanation of the drive train -thus
completes the description of the interconnection of the
various devices. These are driven by one motor, and the
interrelationship of these is throuyh chain driven devices
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or gear belts. Hence, there is no slippage, but there is a
completely synchronous relationship whenever the various
drive trains are being activated simultaneously or
sequentially (including the commonly driven elements for
each).
As seen in Figure 4, the can rotation drive
rollers 55 are continuously rotating; this also holds for
the right angle drive 69, because these two are
interconnected without any brake-clutch control devices such
as 66, 72 or 78.
Similarly, the slitter knives 41 are continuously
rotating as the drive for these is taken off directly from
the motor 65.
The brake clutch control devices 66, 77 or 78 are
those typically available in the industry and are solenoid
operated. A convenient source for these is Warner Electric
Brake and Clutch Company, South Beloit, Illinois, 61080.
The right angle drive 69 is a 2:1 reduction drive and is
available such as from Hubb City Engineering, P.O. Box 1089,
Aberdeen, South Dakota, 57401.
For a can of 2.562 inches in diameter with a
height of .9375 inches through the right angle drive 69, the
conveyor speed for the chain conveyor 155 is 5.750 inches
per second, which is also the same as for the top label
drive roller 20 speed which is driving the carrier strip lOa
at 5.750 inches per second. However, because of the
considerably longer side label drive, the side label drive
roller 59 has a 2.625 inches diameter, giving a
circumference of 8.246 inches. The top label drive roller
20, however, has a diameter of .718 lnches, giving a
circumference of 2.255 inches.
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The above illustrations are only to show an
embodiment used with the machine, but are not necessarily
restrictive as the machine is capable of applying different
top and side labels to the same container. However, the
gearing or timing devices for the different cans and labels,
respectively, would be appropriately modi.fied to provide the
necessary difference in the top label and side label lengths
and thus drive duration.
Turning now to Figure 2, it shows in front
elevation the machine and illustrates further the top label
application section shown as 13 in the drawing. In further
detail, the machine base plate has been shown as 102, the
main horizontal frame member as 104, and the main vertical
frame member as 103. The housing for the electronic and
electrical control means for the instruments and for the
sensors has been shown as 107 in Figures 2 and 3. Bracket
108 has been shown for locating top label supply reel 10 and
top label carrier strip takeup reel 23. In conjunction with
Figure 3, bracket 105 for holding side label supply spool 25
and side label speed compensator idler pullies 29, and side
label carrier takeup spool 62 have been shown in Figure 3.
The switches, such as a machine or component
on-off switch panel, have been shown as 110 for the machine,
.g., for the top label section 13 as well as for the side
label section 49 and tax stamp section 30.
Turning now back to Figure 2, glue container 111
is held in a bracket 113. The bracket 113 is mounted on
post 115 which is appended to the main side label supply
bracket 105.
In turn, the bracket 105 has been attached to main
vertical machine member 103.
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The top label supply reel 10 has a dance arm 130
which at the end thereof has the feed speed compensator
wheel 12. The dance arm 130 has a pivot point 132 and a
detent pin 134 for it. A brake band 138, with a brake band
anchor pin 136, is mounted on bracket 108 circumferentially
around an inner hub 137. The brake band 138 via spring 140
is at~ached to the dance arm at anchor point 142. The
purpose for the dance arm is as follows: as the driven
wheel 20 takes up the carrier belt strip lOa, the dance arm
is lifted and it releases the brake band 138, allowing the
label to be advanced. However, because of the size, the
mass and different circumferential speed as the top label
supply is being exhausted (as well as the mass being
varied), -the dance arm 130 prevents excessive override of
the top label supply wheel 10 and thus imprecise positioning
of the labels. Thus the reel 10 which is mounted on the
inner hub 137 is substantially stopped whenever the carrier
strip advance is stopped.
The weight of the dance arm 130 thus effectively
acts as a brake, as well as a speed compensator, based on
the advance of the top label carrier strip lOa. Top label
idler pulley 11 thus allows the dance arm to be maintained
within given limits with the detent pin 134 preventing the
shock loading of the system as the top label supply reel 10
is being depleted.
As the label is advanced downwardly, it passes
through top label eye bracket 14 which is mounted between a
pair of adjustable holding posts 146 mounted on a pair of
posts 144 between which the drive roller 20 is mounted.
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A photoelectric sensor eye 145 (preferably
infrared) thus detects the trailing edge of a top label and
three labels downstream it controls by electronic control
means, which will be further explained herein, the
positioning of the top label for a precise placement of the
top label on a container.
From the photoelectric sensor eye 145, the top
labels 9 on the carrier strip lOa advance through the
stripper feed wheel 15 into the stripper 17. The label
press down wheel 18 is attached via its two pivot arms 147
at the pivot points 150 on the pair of posts 144. The shaft
148 for the press down wheel 18 has been identified in
Figure 2.
The adjustment for the sensor eye bracket posts
146 is by a pair of adjustment screws 149.
Although, as indicated above, one of the
adjustments may be mechanical, further adjustments are also
available such as via the control means, for example, delay
circuits, electronic timing means, etc, which are well known
in the art.
In order to illustrate the top label application
section in greater detail, that is, section 13, Figure 5
shows an enlarged view of this section shown in Figure 2.
Thus the location of the stripper plate 17 is shown with
respect to the can. The stripper plate 17 attached to
stripper plate bracket 17a is also pivoted around stripper
post 19. Stripper plate bracket 17a and thus the stripper
17 attached thereto are adjus-table vernier--like in a
cross-direction by a pair of threaded positioning knobs (not
shown) on each side of a pair of posts 144. Further, the
preceding sequence also alerts the operator via a horn (not
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shown) turning on a light (not shown), and causes the
incoming containers to be label bypassed until the
corrective action is taken. Stripper plate bracket 17a cams
a normally closed switch 151 open to activate a circuit and
cause feed bridge 180 to be raised by air cylinder 182 and
prevent the top label to be advanced in the event of a can
jam.
Cans 7 are being fed in a position using a feed
bridge section identified as 180. The feed bridge 180 is
mounted via pivot points 186 on the pair of posts 144.
If a can 7 has been properly detected on the
conveyor by a sensor (not shown in Figure 5, bu-t shown in
Figure 6 as 163), the can 7 is then advanced to a can feed
position by the can positioning chain conveyor 155. The
conveyor 155 has in a cross-direction, that is, across the
conveyor, an appropriate number of can positioning bars 161.
These bars 161 are attached to the conveyor chain 155 and
push forwardly can 7 in a very precise relationship. A
label 9 advances simultaneously (with a slight delay, if
necessary, for a lid rim if such is present) as previously
discussed in connection with Figure 4 and the drive train
~ox this machine~ Accordingly, the synchronously driven
conveyor chain 155 advances with the synchronously
interrelated drive wheel 20 taking away top label carrier
strip lOa. The chain conveyor has a pair of idle sprocket
wheels 159 around which the conveyor chain 155 is rotating.
The shaft for idler sprocket wheels has been identified as
158.
A pair of can side guide bars 162 is also shown in
Figure 6, only one of which has been shown in Figure 5. A
label press down wheel 18 is typically of a foam material.
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When it is pivoting around press down wheel shaft 148, it
bears down on the label and firmly causes the self-adhesive
backed label to attach securely to can 7 a-t -the indentation
point 9a on the can 7. A pivot arm 147 for the press down
wheel 18 may be spring loaded to bear down on the label 9,
or it may be merely weighted down to accomplish its
function.
A floating block 166 such as made of Teflon and
the like is mounted on a shaft 169 and is restrained in a
notch 169a on a post 168. The ~loating block 166 may be
continuous from one side of the conveyor to the other, or it
may consist of a pair of floating blocks 166. Block 166
acts as a conveyor chain 155 tensioner. Because of the
limited space, a floating block has been employed, although
other means, e.g., an idler wheel, may be used to accomplish
this purpose. The function of the floating block 166 is to
remove any error which may occur due to the chain tension
variations.
Figure 6 shows in top view the top label
application section 13 shown in Figure 5, and these two
seetions in conjunetion thus illustrate the operation of the
conveyor and also partially the side label section 49.
As the idle wheels 159 for conveyor chain 155 are
mounted on a pair of bracket posts 171, the shaft 160 is
precisely located vis-a-vis the eomplementary drive sprocket
wheels 157 and the shaft -therefor 158.
In Figure 6, the chain eonveyor can slide 164 is a
polished plate such as of stainless steel. It is a smooth
plate and can be made of other materials such as a Teflon
sheet and the like. Slide 164 rests on cross posts 165
- 21 -
*Trademark
which are attached to a pair oE posts 171 for idle sprocket
wheels 159 and has another pair of posts 144 at -the other
end of the conveyor 155.
As shown in Figure 6, a can 7 is moved along chain
conveyor on chain conveyor can slide 164 by can positioning
bar 161. However, the initial placement of the can is in
the indentation 161a and is precisely located in a position
relative to the label which will be advanced across the
stripper plate 17. Indentation 161a for can 7 is shown in
Figure 6. As the can 7 is pushed precisely in the
indentation guided by side guide bars 162, the precise
positioning of the can is thereby achieved. The means for
advancing the cans into the indentation 161a will be further
discussed above.
As the can is placed on the can slide 164, a
sensor 163 detects its presence and by appropriately
interrelated means, such as a drive means for the conveyor
155 previously discussed starts the conveyor drive. For a
container where the label is away from the edge,
simultaneously with starting conveyor 155 drive, an
appropriately predetermined millisecond timer is activated.
When the can 7 has moved the predetermined distance (as
calculated by the timer), the label carrier drive wheel 20
is started.
Can 7 and label 9 move in synchronization until
photoelectric sensor 14 in Figure 2 detects three labels
upstream, and the trailing edge of a label thus stops the
label drive. The conveyor 155 continues until proximity
sensor 173 detects the actuator 173a. This indicates one
shaft revolution or one compartment travel. This stops the
conveyor 155 drive.
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.~ .
On the bridge deck 181 there are mounted bo-ttom
and top can side guides 192 and 193, respectively. The side
walls 175 for ~he bridge deck 131 have at-tached thereto
finger springs 176 which res-~rain the can from moving into
position unless it is being urged forwardly by means which
will be further discussed herein.
~ eturning to Figure 5 and the bridge 180
consisting of the bridge deck 181 for the can feed, it has a
pneumatic cylinder 182 for lifting the bridge 180 and
thereby preventing a further feed from entering the bridge
deck 181 from feed chute, conveyor~ etc., 183, in the even-t
the switch 151 shows a malfunction due to jamming of the
cans. The bridge 180 is pivoted around pivot poin-t 186 for
the same. The switch 187 is a normally open on-off switch
and detects the presence or absence of a lid. If a can 7
enters the bridge 181 wi-thout a lid in place, this will stop
the entire machine, alert the operator, raise the bridge 181
and bypass the incoming produc-t.
As the bridge 180 is also provided with a bottom
guide 192 and a top guide 193, it thereby defines a channel
for advancing the cans from a feed chute 183 or a like
conveyor stack feeder. A feed means arrangemen-t has also
been shown in Figures 7 to 7c which may be connected
directly to the feed section 13 by utilizing the pivot
points 186. This section has been identified as 188 and is
an illustration of the previously mentioned feed means such
as a feed chute, conveyor, stack feeder and the like means.
The feed means 188 shown in Figures 7 to 7c thus
consist of a channel defined by a three sides 188a and a
pneumatic feed cylinder 194 for advancing can 7 from a feed
stacker 196 base having four stacker rods 197. A feed head
X 23 -
195 is being driven by the pneuma-tic feed cylinder 194, the
feed head being activated by the feed cylinder rod 194a.
Feed head 195 thus reciprocates back and forth when the can
drops in the circular opening of the can feeder stack base
196. Thus the can feeder base 196 serves also as a feed
head 195 housing, and in this mode the cans which had a
missing label or which need additional labeling put on the
bottom thereof may be re-fed into the machine in a very
convenient and facile manner.
In combination with the same Eeed stacker bar 196,
a can conveyor 198 may also be used. The can conveyor belt
199 advances a can 7 through the opening 200 in the channel
wall 188a and with the feed head 195 in a position shown in
Figure 7a. The can 7 may then again be advanced one
position forwardly in a machine direction into the top
labeler section 13 by the cylinder head 195 or merely by the
conveyor belt motion, depending on the weight and shape of
the can 7.
A support leg 202, shown in Figure 7, is also
shown for the conveyor 198, serving also to support the can
feed stacker 188.
Switch 187a is for -the purpose of detecting the
presence of a can 7. When a can is detected, it causes
cylinder 194 to actuate and feed another can into the
labeler. If no can is detected by switch 187a, cylinder 194
ceases to actuate until a can is detected.
Switch 187, which detects the presence or absence
of a lid on the can, also functions as an additional quality
control means.
- 24 -
~r
Turning back to Figure 5, it illustrates also the
side label application section 49 which will now be briefly
discussed in an introductory manner. From the conveyor
chain 155 and the conveyor slide 164 the can 7 is deposited
into the side label application section 49 onto the
constantly rotating can rotation drive wheels 55~ As shown
in Figure 4, these are being driven by an intertied pair of
sprocket wheels 201 which are mounted on a pair of shafts
203. The shafts 203 are located in a mounting block 230. A
drive sprocket wheel 207a, not shown in Figure 5 but shown
in Figure 4 in connection with the schematic representation
of the machine train, drives one of the shafts 203 as
previously discussed in connection with Figure 4.
In Figure 5, the label press down roller gate disc
209 is shown in its engaged position, while in Figure 8 it
is shown in the uplifted position. The later position
allows the can 7 to be dropped onto the continuously driven
can rotation drive rollers 55. The label press down roller
57 has been shown in Figure 5 to be in the engaged position
on top of a can 7. As the can drops from the conveyor 155
with the press down roller gate disc 209 being in the open
position, the can 7 is restrained from falling sideways out
at the bottom by can alignment finger 226.
Thereafter the label press down roller 57 and
label press down roller gate disc 209 are brought down onto
the can, as it will be further discussed herein. The above
description thus completes the description of -the machine as
it relates to the top label 9 placement on the can 7.
Turning now to Figure 3, the side label
application will now be discussed in conjunction with Figure
3 and other related figures. As previously identified but
.~
- 25 -
for sake of recapitulation, the main machine base plate has
been identified as 102; the main vertical frame member as
103, and the main horizontal frame member as 10~. The
housing for control means has been shown as 107, and bracket
105 identifies a bracket for the side label supply spool 25
and side label speed compensation wheels 27 and idler
pullies 29, as well as the arrangement for the side label
carrier strip 26 takeup spool 62.
Still referring to Figure 3, a dance arm 251 for
side label supply spool 25 pivots above the supply spool 25
on pivot point 252. A detent pin 253 for the side label
dance arm 251 is mounted on bracket 105. A brake band 255
for side label supply spool 25 is around hub 256. On the
outside of hub 256 is placed the side label supply spool 25.
The brake band is attached to the dance arm 251 at brake
band anchor pin 257, and at the other end via spring 258 at
the bracket anchor pin 259. Because a side label 24
represented by the circumference of a container is
considerably longer, the dance arm 251 has been provided
with two side label speed compensation wheels 27.
Still referring to Figure 3, from the side label
supply reel 25 and from the last idler pullies 29, the
pre-feed pulley 31 guides the side label carrier 26 with the
side labels 24 thereon into the tax stamp applicator section
30 feed wheel 33.
Still referring to Figure 3, a pair of sensors 260
and 261 adjusted to read through the carrier 26 but not
through the carrier and label 2~ thereon sense the leading
and trailing edge of the label and work as follows. Sensor
260 senses the leading edge of the side label and starts the
glue applicator 35, pre-set to apply glue to the next label
- 26 -
`I
:
ahead. The sensor 261 detects the leading edge of the same
side label 24 and stops the glue application on the
preceding side label. However, the glue application is
started only if the proper "tax stamp present" signal has
been received on tax stamp pickup head 37.
The duration for the glue application (and hence
the distance on the label) may be adjusted physically by the
placement of the sensors on the sensor mount 263, as well as
by electronic timing means. The sensors are carried on a
device somewhat like a horseshoe type or a "C" ring type
carrier (not specifically identified) with the label sliding
in the opening on a carrier plate 104a mounted on top of the
main horizontal beam 104.
An adjustable mounting arm 265 for the glue
applicator 35 is on the main horizontal machine member 104.
Thus the adjustment arm 265 allows an adjustment for the
glue dots 266 (not shown in Figure 3 but shown in Figures 9
and 10), placed crosswise on the side label. Lengthwise on
the top of a side label an appropriate distance for glue
deposition is adjusted by the sensors 261 and 260 and/or
their associated timing circuits. The gluer consists of a
pair of ball point pen-like glue heads 35a which may deposit
a continuous strip or, as mentioned before, the dots 266.
The gluer 35 and each of the heads are supplied by a conduit
36 from glue container 111. The gluer 35 is raised and
lowered by a solenoid 267 (or a pneumatic cylinder) which
can be precisely controlled by the previously discussed
sensors 260 and 261 which sense the lading and trailing edge
of the side label in relationship to the downstream labels.
- 27 -
The gluer 35 may be prograrnmed to deposit the necessary
number of glue dots 266 for the necessary length as dictated
by the size of the stamp or the length thereof.
Tax stamps 28 are stored in a storage sleeve or
storage magazine 270. Typically a s-tack of stamps are in
the storage magazine 270. These are restrained on the
bottom thereof by four small pins (not shown) which prevent
the stack from descending downwardly.
The tax stamp deposit and pickup section 30
consists of a head for tax stamp pickup and deposit, shown
as 37 in Figure 2. The pneumatic cylinder 38 for raising
the tax stamp head 37 in a position to pick up a tax stamp
28 from the magazine 270 is used also to deposit the tax
stamp 28 as follows.
A crank arm 271 for the tax stamp pickup head 37
is shown as 271; the arm pivot is driven by a rack and
pinion combination (pneumatically driven). The pivot point
273 is also the pinion shaft 273 for crank arm 271. The tax
stamp pickup and deposit section 30 will be further
described in detail in Figures 9, 10 and 11 in conjunction
t~ith the actual sequence of tax stamp pickup and deposition
on the side label 24.
After the tax stamp 28 has been placed on the side
label 24 and as part of the advancement, the tax stamp 28 is
further trimmed to size, if necessary, in the tax stamp
slitter section 39, again the details of which will be
discussed in conjunction with Figures 10 to 12. For
safety's sake, an appropriate shroud 286 is placed over the
tax stamp slitter section 39. Shroud 286 may be of an
appropriate material such as Plexiglass and the like.
- 28 -
*Trademark
J j~J ~
A tax stamp hold down conveyor 45, shown also in
Figure 13, assures that the previously applied glue, if it
has not set, does not allow the tax stamp to be dropped from
the side label when the side label 24 and its carrier strip
26 reverse the direction around -the tax stamp section
take-off wheel 43. The press down belt conveyor 45 thus
secures the tax stamp on the side label. The press down
belt conveyor 45 is driven by the side label carrier strip
26 and is a continuous belt played around take-off wheel 43
by conveyor belt wheels 47, three of which have been
employed for that purpose.
The previously described guide wheel 51 -then leads
the side label carrier strip 26 into the side label
applicator section 49. A mounting bracket 290 holds a pair
of sensors in the form of a horseshoe identified as 291 and
292. Sensor 292 detects the trailing edge of the following
side label and stops the feeding of the labels by the drive
roller 59.
Plate 125 with a right angle base has mounted
thereon the sensor bracket 290, sensors 291 and 292, a
tension equalizer roller 294 and a pair of posts 128 between
which are placed the side label carrier drive wheel 59, its
complementary take-off assist wheel 60 and stripper plate
53.
Sensor 291 detects the presence or absence of a
tax stamp. By an appropriate mechanism which will be
further described herein, after application of the side
label free of a tax stamp (the second can), the can is
ejected as a unacceptable item for subsequent application of
a tax stamp or a second side label on top of the first label
- 29 -
~3~"~
thereon. Tax stamp empty side label has no glue on it,
because gluer 35 is engaged only after the tax s'camp 28 has
been picked up.
When the pneumatic cylinder 214 activated gate
frame 210 has gone through an up position, the drive roller
59 is activated, and when the gate frame is brought down and
sensor 292 senses the trailing edge of the preceding side
label, the drive roller 59 is stopped.
Because of the unequal diameter of the can and the
lid for the can, the tension equalizer roller 294 is also
used to lift up the edge of the side label carrier strip 26
in such a manner as to equalize the tension on the entire
carrier strip 26 in a cross-machine direction thereof. It
has been found to be necessary because of tearing of the
side label carrier strip 26. The uplifted edge is towards
the viewer in Figure 3, as is the can lid on a can in the
applicator section 49. Thus, the pivot point 126 and pivot
plate 125 (with posts 128 thereon) alter the entry of the
side label 24 with its carrier strip relative to the can on
can rotation drive rollers 55 from about one degree to three
degrees to assure proper placement on a container with a lid
of a slightly larger diameter. The adjustment point for
plate 125 has been identified as 127 and is a set screw, a
bolt or a lock bolt and the like.
A bracket 295 for adjusting the tension equalizer
roller 294 has been shown in Figure 3.
Turning now to Figure 8 and in conjunction
therewith Figures 5 and 6, the label 24 with the tax stamp
28 thereon is shown in Figure 8 as being advanced around the
stripper plate 53. The can is precisely positioned by
flanges 55a on the continuously rotating can rotation drive
- 30 -
rollers 55 and by -the press down roller 57, including -the
label press down roller ga-te disc 209. The carrier strip 26
driven roller wheel 59 and the carrier strip -takeoff assist
wheel 60 advance the side label carrier strip 26. That is,
upon completion of the engagement of the can 7 with label
press down roller 57 for one revolution (at a low pressure
being exerted on the press down roller 57 by pneumatic
cylinder 214 bearing down on the press down roller shaft
219), the label 24 is firmly and precisely attached to the
diameter-wise wider portion of the can 7. Thereafter
rotating a few additional times, e.g., two, depending on the
appearance and the like by bearing down more heavily on the
roller 57 in the second stage, a precise alignment of the
side label 24 on can 7 is achieved.
The press down pneumatic cylinder 214 is yoked to
the press down roller gate frame 210 and attached at the top
of the frame to 210 by pivot toggle plate 218 via a -top
pivot toggle 217. The press down roller gate frame 210
pivots around shaft 211. A bottom pivot toggle 216 for
pneumatic cvlinder 214 has also been shown in ~igure 6.
Likewise a partial side view of the side label application
section ~9 is shown in Figure 5.
In Figure 8, the adjustment means have been
illustrated for adjusting the precise side label 2~
placement on a can 7 being driven by the rollers 55. The
pivot point 126 in Figure 3 allows the stripper plate 53
mounted on the plate 125 to be arcuately adjusted to
compensate for the thickness of the lid diameter versus the
can diameter for a can, as mentioned before. Typically
plate 125 may be skewed by varying the angle of en-try of the
side label and its carrier strip~ e.g., from about 1 to 4
- 31 -
~. 3 ~ t l " ~ ~
degrees, but also depending on the dirference for the lid
diameter compared to the can diameter. The adjus-tment may
then be secured such as by a locking arrangement, i.e., lock
bolt 127, shown in Figure 3.
A pair of proximity sensors 224 and 223 sense the
position of a press down roller sensor plate 221 for
determining the up and down position of press down roller
gate frame 210. These sensors have been shown in Figure 6,
as well as in Figure 8, with the press down roller sensor
plate 221 being also illustrated in Figure 8 in both the up
and down positions.
After the side label 24 has been properly applied
in the side label applicator section 49, a can 7 is then
ejected. For illustrating this aspect of the invention,
Figure 5 shows a can eject pneumatic cylinder 229 having
attached thereto a can eject piston rod 231 riding in a can
eject piston rod guide 230a, shown in block 230 in Figure 5.
The can eject piston rod 231 has a piston head 232 which is
placed between the can rotation drive rollers 55, further as
illustrated in front elevation view in Figure 3 and in
Figure 8 in an enlarged partial front eleva-tion. Can
rotation drive roller 55 shafts 203 are also placed in block
230.
As the can eject piston head 232 moves forward, a
can alignment finger 226 pivoted on pivot point 227
gravitationally moves downwardly and the piston head then
urges the can 7 at the bottom part thereof onto a finished
product chute 233. It must be remembered that at juncture
the press down roller frame 210 is in the up position.
- 32
~ 3 ~
Upon retraction of the can eject piston rod head
232, the can alignmen-t finger 226 is lifted back in the
position as shown in Figure 5.
In the event sensor 291 has detected an absence of
a tax stamp, then a solenoid activated valve from a
pneumatic line causes an air blast through nozzle 236, shown
in Figure 8, to eject a can from side label applicator
seetion 49 to be ejected leftward as shown in Figure 8
across the inclined surface 233. On the right of this
inelined surfaee 233, also shown in Figures 5 and 6, are
gravitationally diseharged the acceptable cans. The
inelined surface may be appropriately pivoted at pivotpoint
234 to aeeommodate the various weights of the cans before
their ejeetion or to facilitate further packaging.
Turning now to Figures 9 to 11 whieh illustrate in
greater detail the tax stamp application section 30, in
Fi~ure 9, the crank arm 271 for tax stamp pickup head 37 has
been shown in its up position, that is, in the position
where the stamp pick-up head 37 picks up a stamp 28 from a
stamp magazine 270. The tax stamp pi.ckup head has a
pneumat.ie and vaeuum conneetion 37a which has been
identified sehematically, but whieh is housed along with the
pneumatie eonne.etion 38a for the pneumatie tax stamp pickup
and deposit pneumatie eylinder 38 in the erank arm 271. The
eonneetions may also be by appropriately reinforeed hoses
(not shown).
The passage for the joint vaeuum and pressure has
been identified as 37a, and the passage for the pneumatie
high pressure air to eylinder 38 has been identified as 38a.
In its up position, the pneumatie cylinder 38 extends the
head 37, at whieh time an appropriate vacuum in line 37a
- 33 -
X
draws one of the stamps away from the magazine 270. If an
appropriate vacuum setting is not registered in the tax
stamp pickup head 37, it either indicates a failure to pick
up a tax stamp, or if a repeated failure to pick up a tax
stamp is shown, the machine is stopped and a "tax stamp
empty" magazine is signaled to an operator.
The vacuum line 37a thus also ac-ts as a
safety-design feature to assure the proper tax stamp
deposition on the side label 24.
After the tax stamp 28 has been picked up, the
crank arm 271 is rotated around its pinion shaft 273. The
pinion shaft 273 is driven by rack 274 in a reciprocal
manner (i.e., rack 274 is a two-way, pneumatically driven
rack).
A rotating plate 296 which rotates with the crank
arm 271 serves to signal the crank arm 271 to be in the up
position when sensor 297 senses the presence of the plate
and in the down position when sensor 298 senses crank arm
271 to be in the down position. Notch 299 in rotating plate
296 covers up sensor 298 when the crank arm 271 is in the
down position. Other sensing arrangements may also be
shown.
The sensing is further shown in Figure 11 when the
rotating plate 296 is rotating with the crank arm 271.
The rack 274 for pinion shaft 273 is housed in a
rack housing 275. Adjustment means for crank arm 271 have
been illustrated as 278, and a bracket 279 has also been
provided for crank arm 271. A pneumatic flow control valve
280 acts as a brake arrangement for the pneumatically driven
- 34 -
'
rack 274 to prevent excessive shock loading of crank arm 271
as it is rotated from the up to the down position or
vice-versa.
In order to assure that the stamp 28 is positively
deposited on the side label in the ~deposit" position shown
in Figure 11l the vacuum which previously has been present
in the pickup head 37 is now replaced with a slight
overpressure in conduit 37a, as it will be further discussed
herein in connection with the control means, and the
positive release of the stamp 28 is thus assured. Vacuum
switch valve 311 shown in Figure 2 governs -that operation.
The stamp 28 which has now been deposited on the side label
then travels on to the tax stamp slitter section 39 where
the rapidly rotating knives 41, typically made of a suitable
sintered carbide material, slit the overhanging edges of the
tax stamp, as further illustrated in Figure 12.
The knives 41 work against a hardened tool steel
insert 285 shown in front elevation in Figure 11 and in a
top view in Figure 12. A shaft 281 for knives 41 is driven
by a pulley 282 for belt 67a, previously discussed in
connection with Figure 4. Shaft bushing 283 maintains the
slitter knives 41 in a true alignment and assures very
precise tax stamp cutoff.
In Figure 13, an adjustment plate 287 has been
shown for the hold down conveyor which assures that the tax
stamp 28 stays on the label and is not removed, and also
providing an ample opportunity for the glue to set.
Turning now to Figure 3, it illustrates the
solenoid valves which are used for controlling the various
pneumatic cylinders and pneumatic means used for operating
the present machine. Thus the topmost solenoid identified
- 35 -
as 301 is for low pressure air regulation. Low pressure air
is used in pneumatic cylinder 214 for the side label
applicator section 49 when the press down roller 57 engages
the can at the lid part thereof.
After a complete rotation of the can wi-thout the
label being askewingly attached to the can, the air pressure
is increased to about 400% to achieve the further and
complete label attachment to the can. The solenoid valve
302 switches from the low pressure to the high pressure
cylinder 214. Solenoid valve 303 is for the pneumatic
cylinder 214 with a gate 209 being in the up or down
posit iOll .
Solenoid valve 304 is for pneumatic cylinder 229
shown in Figure 5 for ejecting can 7 after labeling has been
completed. Solenoid valve 305 is for rejecting improperly
labeled cans by means of an air blast at 236.
Solenoid valve 306 is for pneumatic cylinder 182
for lifting bridge 181. Solenoid valve 307 is for
pneumatically driven rack 274 which rotates crank arm 271
Erom the pickup to the deposit location and return.
Solenoid valve 308 is for pneumatic cylinder 38 which picks
up and deposits a tax stamp 28. It is a two position
~olenoid valve.
Solenoid valve 309 is for controlling high
pressure which is for all pneumatic circuits except for
pneumatic cylinder 214 which is operated at both low and
high pressure as previously explained.
Gauge 310 shows vacuum in line 37a during pickup
cycle for the pickup head 37.
- 36 -
Vacuum switch valve 311, shown in Figure 2, shows
a vacuum condition, a pressure on condition, or neither
condition, for the vacuum-pressure line 37a as previously
discussed, and thus signals appropriate or inappropriate
conditions as the case may be.
Gauge 312, also shown in Figure 2, is -the low
pressure gauge, while gauge 313 shows high pressure.
Turning now to Figure 14, it illustrates
schematically in the left hand column the automatic
operation without the tax stamp section 30 being on, and on
the right hand column the block diagram with the tax stamp
section 30 being on and interconnected with the automatic
operation of the machine.
The sequence is illustrated in the block diagram
by reference to the various sensor conditions or control
positions and is readily understandable by the legends in
each of the blocks.
The electronic or electrical control elements
which have not been specifically identified are housed in
control housing 107 for the machine. A control device such
as for the various sensing, delay or timing circuits is
available from Siemens-Allis, P.O. Box 9128, Waltham,
Massachusetts, 02254, and may be readily externally
programmed for the various control functions. One such
programmable control device is sold under the trademark
SIMATICS 5101R and is available from the above source.
Similarly, the various relays and solenoid valves used in
connection therewith are readily available on the market.
From the above description and the description of
the specific embodiment, it can easily be seen that machines
for processing containers of various diameter to height
- 37 -
ratios may be adapted based on the disclosure of this
application. Consequently, the benefits which are gained by
the presently described machine may be utilized for
improving the label appearance as well as label application
rates for a number of cans. Still further, a side label may
be modified for including additional information on the side
labe~, such as tax stamps; product information; controlled
substance information; pricing informa-tion; quality control
information; if licensed, licensing informationi
manufacturing source information; customs information and
the like.
Because of the very precisely controllable
locations for applying a label on a can such as a top label
and the very precise adjustments in the location, such as to
within a few thousandths of an inch, e.g., from 0.001 to
0.005, the product appearance and quality is considerably
enhanced and the product integrity assurance is
substantially unquestionable.
Still further, the ability to invert a can and
refeed the can by precisely positioning on the bottom
thereof an additional label is also possible such as by the
means shown in Figures 7 to 7c, all at the same time while
the side labeling operation of the machine has been
disabled.
Still further, for side label applications where
no additional labeling information is needed, that is, where
no tax stamp and the like need be placed on the label,
section 30 of the machine may likewise be disabled.
Similarly, by keeping the gate frame 210, as shown in Figure
- 38 -
~7
~ '.
J ~
~, in the up position, thereby not advancing the side label
by the drive roller 59, the side label application may be
disabled.
As a result, the extreme versatility oE the
machine now allows considerable manufacturing independence
and prevents manufacturing vulnerability associated with
prior art labeling machines which were single product
dedicated or entire production dedicated. At the same -time,
extremely good quality control is assured for all products
coming off the machine.
While the above machine has been described with
respect to the embodiments shown in the figures and
illustrated by the method by which the labels have been
applied, the scope of the invention is not to be limi-ted by
the above description, but is to be considered in light of
the appended claims.
